LOS ANGELES — The total number of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender characters remains
steady on U.S. television for a second year but is represented more equitably between men and
women, the gay-rights group GLAAD said yesterday.

In 2013-14, there will be 112 such characters in regular or recurring roles on scripted TV shows
throughout the United States, and half are played by women, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against
Defamation said. In 2012, the majority of such characters tracked by the GLAAD report were
male.

Last year saw a record number of gay characters on U.S. scripted television, with 31 regularly
on the five main prime-time networks.

GLAAD releases an annual report tracking gender and ethnic diversity on television during the
previous year and in the coming year.

This year has seen a drop in gay characters on prime-time networks because of the cancellation
of shows such as
The New Normal and
Go On, with 26 regular gay cast members and 20 recurring.

On cable television, such characters rose to 42 from last year’s 35, with HBO leading the way
with 11 characters.

Gay characters featured in leading or recurring roles on new shows this year include the Fox
police comedy
Brooklyn Nine-Nine, the NBC sitcom
Sean Saves the World and the CBS thriller
Under the Dome.

ABC and Fox were the only prime-time networks to increase the percentage of gay roles on
shows.

The prime-time broadcast show
Glee upgraded the transgender character Unique to a regular this year.